Study of Ophian Biology
A study of ophian anatomy by Nicodemus Flehr, Whitehold Academy In my work as a medicus for the army I have come into contact with numerous ophian refugees. While tending to their injuries I have made a number of interesting observations that I beleive will be of use to others who have to deal with the health and well being of these strange reptilian creatures. Blood and temperature One of the first things you will notice when dealing with ophians is that they are cold blooded, much like a snake or lizard. Their bodies do not produce heat on its own, they rely on the warmth of the sun or proximity to other heat sources such as a fire to stay warm. Their own homelands are all in a much warmer climate than Talarra and they were able to function normally at all times of day and year. The cold climate of Talarra poses a problem however, especially regions such as Verslun or Granvik. When exposed to snow or cold winds they lose heat very quickly. However, they do not die from this. At least not as easily as a human would. As their bodies approach the temperature of their surroundings, they will slow down. Their reflexes are dulled and their strength vanes and all thought processes slow down. Eventually, they will feel overwhelming fatigue and fall asleep. At this point their bodies will feel very cold and a human might be alarmed and think that they are dying. That is not the case however. Their bodies are forcing them into a state resembling hibernation in order to preserve energy until the time they can heat up again. Experiments on how long they can survive in this state and the effects of long term hibernation are yet to be done. Feeding Ophians are omnivores just like humans and survive on both plants and meat. The main difference is the amount of food they can survive on. I have concluded that this is directly linked to their cold blood. Their bodies do not need to consume energy in order to produce heat and can because of this survive on much less. I have met refugees that had gone up towards two weeks without food and were still able to function nearly normally, albeit complaining about hunger. From what I have learned, an ophian can survive on only a meal a week without any suffering and often do, at least among the lower ranking members of their society. It is not entirely without side effects though. From my observations it seems that while their bodies will continue to function normally, their minds are dulled. Their wit dims and they seem focused on only the basic needs and simple tasks. Due to this condition, they seem more susceptible to suggestions as well. Rather than struggling their way through the process of decision making, they will accept what you tell them and comply, as long as the suggestion is within reason. An ophian that is fed twice daily however can easily match the intelligence of a human person and is quite capable of holding conversations and solve logic puzzles. Breeding One of the most astonishing discoveries I have made while working with the ophians is that they do not give birth to live young. Instead they lay eggs. The female will lay an egg about the size of an infant's head. The shell is colourful and spotted, often resembling the scale colouration of the mother, regardless of the colouration of the future hatchling. The egg will be kept safe and warm for about five months by the mother or a surrogate female before hatching. Unlike many reptile animals, the ophian is not fully formed when hatched, but is much like a human infant. They are very small, but grow rapidly for the first six months. From my inquiries it seems that the rest of their childhood developes not unlike that of a human, with the one exception that they do not breasfeed as infants, but instead eat softened regular food from the moment they are hatched. The impact of ophian biology on their society As an objective observer I believe I have been able to draw conclusions that the ophians themselves are incapable of. As many of you already now, they live in a strictly hierarchical society built on a foundation of slave labour. It is easy to identify a slave in a group of ophians. Not only will the higher ranking ones be clad in expensive clothes and jewelry, but they will also be taller and with more brightly coloured scales. I believe this to be directly related to nourishment during the childhood years. As previously mentioned, slaves do not eat as often, as it keeps them docile and focused on working. This is most likely also the cause of why they tend to be shorter and less colourful, as they were underfed in their childhood and couldn't develope properly. Conclusions Many more studies need to be made on these impressive creatures. They differ much from ourselves, both in biology, thinking and culture and there is much to learn and discover. I send this report in the hope that it will lay the foundation of future research. Nicodemus Flehr